The 2024 Cross-Strait Kite Festival started in Xiamen City of east China's Fujian Province and Kinmen County of China's Taiwan region last weekend, providing an opportunity to strengthen ties between both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
It is also the first time for the two places to hold the kite festival simultaneously.
On the first day of this event, teams of kite fliers from both sides of the Strait headed for the two places and swapped kites as souvenirs.
At a square in Xiamen, hundreds of large kites in various shapes including whale, octopus, and giant panda, soared in the sky, attracting tens of thousands of visitors.
On the beach of a park in Kinmen County, kite fliers from both sides of the Strait flew colorful kites high in the sky. Visitors flocked to the beach to see the vibrant kites and attend entertainment activities of the kite festival.
"It's the first time for us to see so many splendid kites in Kinmen. I heard the mood in Xiamen was lively too. I hope people from both sides of the Strait can enjoy a happy weekend," said Ms. Shen, a resident of Kinmen.
Cross-Strait kite festival held in Xiamen, Kinmen
The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, held a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday afternoon, one day before its annual session.
The third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee is scheduled to run from March 4 to 10, Liu Jieyi, the session's spokesman, announced at the press conference.
According to Liu, more than 2,000 members will attend the annual session to provide advice on major national policies and key issues spanning economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological development.
The spokesman briefed the media on the National Committee of the CPPCC's achievements over the past year, as well as its goals for improving national development and people's livelihoods.
Noting that economic issues have always been a priority for the CPPCC in fulfilling its duties, Liu said the CPPCC National Committee has actively provided suggestions and insights on a range of major economic topics over the past year, contributing to economic recovery and progress through substantial and effective efforts.
He highlighted efforts over the past year to promote traditional culture, further open up the economy, integrate education with scientific progress, maintain global peace and stability, and advance green development.
The press conference brought together many journalists from outside the Chinese mainland, with several from Africa stating that they are covering the 'two sessions' to explore what insights their countries can gain from China's political system and its foreign policy agenda regarding Africa.
"I'm here to learn what is done here in China, and how, for example, what is told here can be reproduced in our countries, and to know the similarities and the differences we have in our politics," said Fatou Ndiaye, a journalist from Senegal.
"I'm looking forward to hearing what China has planned for the developing world in terms of Sino-African relations," said Brian Ngugi, a journalist from Kenya.
Alex McCutcheon, a journalist from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said he will focus on China's achievements and plans for sci-tech advancements and applications as he covers the annual session.
"Also, anything related to science and technology, anything that's going to help to improve the transformation from research results into actual real-life improvements on people's lives," he said.
The "two sessions" refer to the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the CPPCC National Committee, which are scheduled to open on March 5 and March 4, respectively.
China’s top political advisory body holds media briefing ahead of annual session
